I move:—
That a sum not exceeding £13,500 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1955, for a Grant to An Chomhairle Ealaíon (No. 9 of 1951).
The sums provided for An Chomhairle Ealaíon in each of the past three financial years were: 1951-52, £1,100; 1952-53, £10,000 and 1953-54, £20,000. The provision of £20,000 is, on the face of it, the same figure as that for last year, but in actual fact it is £8,600 more because of the fact that there was a proposal by An Chomhairle Ealaíon to purchase the Rotunda buildings, a project which was not proceeded with. The grant for this year was determined on the basis of the following figures of anticipated expenditure by the council: Salaries, travelling, rent and incidental expenses, £2,350; grants to be made by the council, £15,500 and unallocated balance, £2,150.
The report and accounts of An Chomhairle Ealaíon, covering the period from the inception of the council on the 4th December, 1951, up to 31st March, 1953, were presented to the Dáil by the Government on the 28th July, 1953, pursuant to Sections 6 (3) and 7 (1) of the Arts Act, 1951. The council's report for the last year is expected to be available shortly.